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Payroll is one of the most arduous of business processes. When you multiply that by the client load managed by PEOs, you’ve got an ulcer-producing mess that takes an inordinate amount of time.

Having a turnkey payroll software solution designed specifically for PEOs is like having an extra set of eyes and hands to manage the payroll process for each client. Applying this technology improves your clients’ satisfaction and directly impacts their employee satisfaction, as well. Perhaps even more importantly, it streamlines your workflows, allowing you to take on even more clients simultaneously – a plus for your business growth strategy.

What key criteria should you consider when searching for an integrated payroll solutions provider?

Payroll solutions for PEOs

Finding the right payroll software for PEOs can solve some of the most common payroll glitches and even change the course of operations for your business clients. Look for platforms that meet these requirements:

Keeping payroll adaptive and compliant

The best payroll solutions for PEOs and ASOs stay abreast of legislative changes at every level of government. Time tracking and employee-friendly dashboard features should translate well on any digital handheld device. The software should easily support the non-traditional employee workforce, including part-time, contract staff, and telecommuters.

Payroll as corporate strategy influencer

Normal payroll functions are considered a reactive process. The employee works, payroll is run, and a paycheck is generated. But the best payroll solution for PEOs includes dashboards and customizable reports that can inform strategic decisions that impact the bottom line. For example, running and then analyzing a report that tracks overtime spikes can be a red flag for project managers on a construction project.

Payroll software improves accuracy

The best payroll software programs for PEOs actually improve payroll accuracy by preventing mistakes before they happen. The practical application of this benefit means the software can spot data inconsistencies or missing data and report it back to the PEO as a red flag before it’s sent to the benefits carrier or before payroll is run. This streamlines a manual process that has traditionally been one of the biggest headaches in the PEO industry.

Integrated payroll, time tracking, and benefits

If your PEO has multiple systems across payroll, HR, time tracking and benefits, chances are you’re wasting valuable time and increasing your chances of error. Finding payroll and benefits software with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) improves multi-system interoperability across platforms. Using this kind of payroll powerhouse will significantly speed up your workflow and increase your efficiency.

UX-savvy Interface

Creating a comfortable user experience (UX) will go a long way toward improving enrollment compliance and accuracy. Allowing employees to enroll themselves in the system is a huge time saver for your PEO team. An intuitive process will also save training time and reduce one-on-one questions from enrollees. Additionally, a good software program will stop the employee if they fail to fill out a critical portion of the tracking and enrollment form.

The lack of collateral implied on the word unsecured means that there is no particular asset guaranteeing the loan but that does not imply that the lender can not take legal action in order to recover the investment.

Of course, with secured loans, the legal actions are quick and expeditious. Foreclosure and repossession are legal tools that let the lender swiftly recover the money lent by either obtaining the possession of the asset used as collateral or coercing its sell in public auctions. Yet, there are of course other legal actions to be taken against a borrower holding unsecured debt in default.

Why People Believe Unsecured Loans Imply No Risk?

The source of this belief seems to be the concepts of collateral, repossession and foreclosure. Since unsecured loans carry no collateral, there is no property to repossess or subject to foreclosure. Therefore, people seem to believe that there is nothing to be lost. Many think that if a property is not used as collateral, then, the lender can not force its sell in a public auction.

Moreover, people also neglect to remember that even if the lender had no action against the borrower to recover the money (and actually there are other legal actions), the damage that the lack of repayment of an unsecured loan can do to your credit score and history is just as appalling as that of secured loans. And just for that reason one should avoid missed payments and late payments.

Consequences of Defaulting on an Unsecured Loan

The main consequence of defaulting on an unsecured loan is that your credit will be ruined. Your credit score will drop dramatically and the delinquency will remain on your credit history for a long time. However, that is not the only consequence of defaulting on an unsecured loan. Depending on the amount of debt, there are also legal actions that the lender may be willing to take to recover the money.

It is not that it is not possible to go to court for an unsecured loan, it is just that the process is longer and more costly in terms of legal fees and costs but if the amount of debt is high enough the lender will probably pass the debt to a collection agency and they will use all the legal tools in their power to recover the investment.

True Risks Of Unsecured Loans

As you can see, it is not true that unsecured loans represent no risk for the borrower. They certainly represent a higher risk for the lender and probably a lower risk for the borrower. Yet, there are risks associated to taking any kind of debt. And those risks need to be pondered before deciding to borrow money.

Unsecured loans provide financing with no collateral but although there is no particular asset attached to the debt, all your assets are guaranteed the debt. There is no single speed speedy legal action to claim the money but there are legal actions that the lender holds …

Not all MBAs are equal. The reputation of the business school where you study for your MBA is essential. Here are five tips to choosing the best MBA School for you

Minimum Entrance Requirements If you do not meet the minimum entrance requirements for a business school you are likely wasting your time in applying to that particular school. Do some research as entrance requirements vary between Business Schools. The same applies if you have an obligation GMAT score; some MBA programs do not require a GMAT to be taken. The more research about MBA schools you do, the better.

MBA Rankings MBA Rankings are very important especially when achieving prominence among the respected ranking providers (eg Financial Times, The Economist and Business Week). There is debate about just how accurate an assessment of quality a rankings is however there is no doubting that the rankings drive public perception of MBA schools. A good guideline is to attend an MBA school ranked highly by one of the prominent ranking organizations.

Location and Program When attending an MBA program you will benefit significantly from face-to-face interaction with other MBA students. I recommend attending a full-time or part-time MBA program rather than a distance learning MBA. If attending a campus it will there before be important that you are able to get to the location of the campus fairly easily. The Business School library will also prove invaluable before you should be able to get to the library when necessary.

MBA Cost Good MBA programs cost a lot of money. It is not possible for good Business Schools to be inexpensive due to the overhead costs of lecturing staff and research and the like. If necessary attain finance to complete your MBA (also check if you are able to get sponsorship from your employer).

MBA Accreditation There are various MBA accreditation organizations with some of the most respected being EQUIS, AMBA, AACSB. These accreditation are important as they guarantee that certain educational standards are being met. It is rigid for the Business Schools to comply with the requirements of the respected MBA accreditation organizations and that various schools have triple accreditation is noteworthy (eg Henley Business School in the UK). Attending an MBA program accredited by these organizations is certainly a good choice.

Attending an MBA is an investment. Follow the tips above and do lots of research. Do whatever it takes to attend the best MBA program you can. It is definitely worth it! …

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a rather new field of education. We can see it as an innovative kind of future education for schools linking the child's development with the future challenges of society.

I do not think that education for sustainable development is just another buzzword forgotten in a few years. From a global perspective as well as a local perspective we have to direct education towards what will be really useful for each child and for each society in the future.

To have a fulfilling life should be within reach for all children wherever they are born. In too many parts of society and of the world children grow up in hazardous environments with very poor conditions for basic requirements and bleak prospects for their future.

Education for Sustainable Development is derived from the Brundtland report's focus on Sustainable Development (SD). The Brundtland report requires fundamental changes in the society and its institutions, in politics and in our individual family life styles. Economic development can not be separated from social development and a concern for the environment.

ESD for child development Educational research can tell us a lot of how to make use of education for sustainable development for child development.

The most important fact may be that ESD is an excellent frame for the empowerment of children. When we respect each individual child for its ideas and opinion, and at the same time bringing the child into challenging learning situations we facilitate empowerment of the child.

Developing self esteem and empowerment goes hand in hand in education for sustainable development. A proper self esteem is such an important part of successful child development.

Another important fact is that ESD is a productive frame for meaningful learning. Opposite to rote learning and the acquisition of facts without much understanding meaningful learning situations help the child to engage fully in the teaching. By working with real problems the child can develop much better understanding of concepts and skills from the schools core curriculum in a meaningful context. The key to that is the opportunity to use and reflect on these 'traditional' ingredients of classical schooling in the meaningful contexts derived from the focus on sustainable development.

Education for sustainable development and schools Some schools have focused on the beautification of their school environment. This may help the school's prestige in the local society but it is not helpful for education for sustainable development without it happens as the students' project.

Similarly some schools have put a lot of emphasis in making the school buildings more 'green' with solar power panels, recycling systems, water conservation measures and tree planting around the school. Again, such initiatives are only valuable for the learning of the students if they are planned as student projects. You can not evaluate the quality of a school's work with education for sustainable development from a picture of the school.

Concerning a better approach to ESD, headmaster and teachers should ask questions like: – How can we …

Trying to have matured adults agree on one concrete definition of “Sustainability”, is by far one of the toughest jobs. Though various organizations and thought leaders have tried their best to explore, analyze and beat it down to one precise meaning without success, there seems to be the common thread of Environment, Society and the Economy, running through them all. Northwest Environment Watch, a not-for-profit research and communication center based in Seattle, has according to me given a definition that is by far the closest to appropriate. It said that sustainability is “an economy and way of life in which both people and nature flourish, a culture that can last.” The Executive Order 00-07, signed by Gov. John Kitzhaber of the State of Oregon, in May of 2000 says that, “Sustainability means using, developing and protecting resources at a rate and in a manner that enables people to meet their current needs and also provides that future generations can meet their own needs.” It also goes on a step further to say that, “Sustainability requires simultaneously meeting environmental, economic and community needs.” This again almost co-relates to the Northwest Environment Watch’s stand. Let us now venture to explore three of the most critical influencers, and analyze their roles in achieving the goal of sustainability.

Growth of World Population

Agenda 21, The Earth Summit Strategy to Save Our Planet. (Sitarz 1993) explains very well the relation between population growth and the environmental health of the planet: “The spiraling growth of world population fuels the growth of global production and consumption. Rapidly increasing demands for natural resources, employment, education and social services make any attempts to protect natural resources and improve living standards very difficult. There is an immediate need to develop strategies aimed at controlling world population growth.” (p. 44)

Scientists, since a long time, have been underlining that, the Earth, if we believe in the fact that it’s a spherical surface, does have a capacity and limit to which it can carry or support. The Population of the planet, rising in leaps and bounds, will soon lead to a complete utilization of the World’s depleting Natural Resources. As May observes (May 1993): “…the scale and scope of human activities have, for the first time, grown to rival the natural processes that built the biosphere and that maintain it as a place where life can flourish. Many facts testify to this statement. It is that somewhere between 20 and 40 percent of the earth’s primary productivity, from plant photosynthesis on land and in the sea, is now appropriated for human use.” This truly is matter of alarm. If we continue the growth of population at the current rate, we would be in a situation, where Sustainability would be a myth. Hence at no point of time should the Growth of Population be considered in isolation. Its growth in relation to the depleting Natural Resources in the planet is what heightens concern.

Governments, Association and Individuals of credibility, have continuously assembled …

Many students are finding themselves tough while going for a higher education. The flagrant cost of the higher education is one of main factors that are impeding the chances of your higher education. Since, education is the sole and one of the important tools for your personal development; it can not be ignored at all. To help you paying efficiently the huge cost of the higher education, now, student loans have been made into provision. You can avail these loans to meet the cost of your tuition fees as well as paying off other bills related to your education.

Student loans are available with a wide range of lenders. You may be helped from the government agencies as well as from private players. From among the private lenders, the online lenders are those one that are known for the simple and fast processing. You can contact a number of such lenders online with their different loan quotes. An online method helps you negotiate for the best deal out of the available options and also make your approval faster.

Unlike other loans, student loans have some special privileges. Here, students can find themselves much comfortable at the terms and conditions of the loan. This loan liberates you on the repayment until you finish the course completely and get a job. Generally, after six months of completion of course reimbursement is made, provided students start earning £ 15000, else they are free to do so.

Typically, student loan is taken to repay the entire expenses related to education. These are basically, tuition fees, library fees, buying computers, accommodation charge etc. The amount of loan depends upon one's requirement. However, the income level of student's family also matters while loan is being provided.

Students can obtain the education loans either with secured or unsecured form. Secured loans require pledging of an asset from the borrowers. Whereas, unsecured form has nothing such obligation. The secured form has a lower interest rate, whereas, with the unsecured one, it is somewhat higher.

Youths are one of the precious assets of a country. So, they require a proper attention to make a country's future bright. Here, student loans help many students in vying quality education and thus preparing the potential citizen for the country. …

Investing in the stock market has its risks and rewards. If you know what to look for when you buy or sell a stock, you could get rich by doubling your investments.

If you want to know how to get rich using the stock market, be prepared to do some hard work. If you opt for get rich quick schemes, quite often you may find that you have lost more than you started with. You need to analyze different options and get any doubts that you have cleared before you can make a success of yourself as an investor.

The first step in your quest should be to identify a good stockbroker to set up a brokerage account. He should be reliable and know his stuff. You should be able to trust him with your money and you should insist that he knows how to get rich by trading in the stock market as the benefit would pass on to you. Even though you get the services of a broker, do not be completely dependent on his advice. Do your own research. Read as much as you can – business and financial news, market trends, balance sheets and any other sources that will help you make a calculated decision on when to buy or sell a stock. The key to earning profits from the stock market is to buy a stock at a low price, wait and watch patiently as its value increases and sell at the right time.

For those who want to know how to make money on stocks, here are five tips that will help:

• Look out for stocks that are undervalued: In order to do this, you need to look at the current value of the stock in conjunction with the future prospects of the company. If you find a company with a high potential of future success, buy their stock early, as its value will increase manifold in a few years.

• Analyze prosperous funds: Look for mutual funds that are doing well consistently over the past few years and look at the stocks held in their portfolio. As they seem to have mastered the technique of how to get rich, buying the same stock could be help you get rich too.

• Look at the Price-Earnings Ratio: The PE ratio reflects the present market value of a share in relation to its earning over the past year. In general, a low PE ratio indicates a higher cost for the price you pay. However, do not follow this blindly. A company with a high PE ratio could offer a better e-learning in the next year as its profitability can increase dramatically with the market trends. So remember to look at the bigger picture.

• Review Balance Sheets: A balance sheet is the most reliable indicator of a company's financial position. Look to invest in a company that has low borrowings or debt and good cash flows and revenues. In other words, invest in a …

Any corporate social responsibility strategy (CSR) must be fully integrated with the organization's brand management and commercial strategy. This means that the CSR strategy must support the undering commercial requirements for the business and deliver to its customers or the ultimate consumer safe goods, products and services that are fit for purpose and deliver optimum quality, optimum price and the expected level of customer service. Internal and external stakeholders are increasingly becoming more concerned about the way an organization proceeds its commercial and marketing strategy especially how it balances the economic, social and environmental aims and objectives within this strategy. Ethical objectives that need to be embedded within the CSR element of organizational strategy include:

– Operational issues – management of resources including raw materials, land, energy, water, control of waste produced as a result of activities, including disposal, packaging recycling strategies, management of logistics including transportation of goods and product distribution strategies;

– Colleague issues – development of social policy and practice including worker facilities, terms and conditions of employment, personal welfare, health and safety, training and development;

– Community issues – management of the organization impact on the local, national or global community including environmental issues, such as noise, smell, visual impact, use of resources, production and disposal of waste;

Our political leaders-from President Obama and Speaker Pelosi on down through Congressman Waxman to all the state governments-say wonderful things about small business:

– Small business is the engine of job creation – It's the embodiment of our entrepreneurial spirit – It's a major source of innovation – It's the way up for immigrants – It's the new chance for people laid off by declining industries – It's the way to keep work at home that would otherwise go to India or China – It provides the local products and services we all cherish over the big-box mega-chains – It provides flexible, part-time, low-skilled, and entry-level jobs for people who often have trouble finding a niche in the workpiece. – It perpetuates a class of responsible, involved, financially aware citizens who pass these values ​​along to the next generation.

But contrast what our leaders say with what they do. Governments at all levels view small business (I'm talking about owner-run businesses) as the piggybank from which to shake a few coins every time more revenue is needed. We are the designated "tax paying class."

It's not just Waxman's income tax surcharge, nor this penalty on those who do not offer healthcare insurance. But overall, the cost of taxes and fees, mandates, and compliance is ten times higher as a proportion of revenue for small businesses than for large corporations. Not only the dollar amounts, but also the time that the owner or a key employee must devote to these requirements.

And we face a continuing barrage of increases in these from local, state, and federal levels.

So the message from our leaders is: "You are really important to economic dynamism, but even so, we're erecting numerous hurdles to your success."

At my four-person company, if our tax / compliance costs were lower, there's no doubt that I would add a couple of employees that we can not now afford. There are millions of companies my size in the US Suppose a million of these would add a single employee if their government burden was lightened. Would a million new jobs created have a positive impact on the economy? All these new employees would then be paying taxes and spending more on goods and services. My company-and all the others-would grow, get more profitable, pay more taxes-and provide more products and services valued by our communities. What's the chance that the economic boost this created would actually generate more tax revenue than trying to squeeze more than already-hurting small companies?

For some reason I can not forgive, this dynamic is impenetrable to our government leaders.

A few comments on small business healthcare:

o Note that the small business penalty described in the AAHCA bill located at edlabor.house.gov/labor/health-care does not go towards the healthcare costs of our employees. It just goes to the government; it does not benefit the employees at all.

o Most small businesses want to provide healthcare coverage for their employees. It gives them a competitive advantage in attracting …

As a new entrepreneur looking for capital, one of your first options for a loan will be the SBA, or to be exact, asking for an SBA-backed loan. SBA loan applications are made through a bank. The SBA guarantees a loan to the bank, so in case the borrower defaults, the bank is guaranteed a portion of the loan by the SBA. (You are still liable for the loan, so your obligation does not go away) This makes it easier for banks to lend to budding entrepreneurs, but it does not mean that the bank can lend indiscriminitely. The bank will analyze the application to protect its interest as well as the SBA's.

The SBA does not lend directly to the business owner. It is important that the bank you are working with is knowledgeable about SBA loans, as it will initially process your application, not the SBA. The SBA will review the application once the bank approves it.

What will the bank look for in your application?

· Good Credit Score. This is a very important factor in the consideration for a loan, but not the only one. If your score is not good right now, work on improving it. Although good credit is a key factor for getting a loan, it is not the only factor. If you do not have perfect credit, you can mitigate it by providing a thorough business plan, contractual, a higher co-investment in the project, a cosigner, etc. You will have to explain any outstanding issues with your credit. Moreover, lenders have different appetite for risk (large commercial banks are usually more conservative), so you may be able to find a lender that will work with you.

· Collateral (security for loan). In some cases a good credit score and down payment are enough to secure a loan. However depending on the amount of the loan, you may also have to offer collateral. You can use your house, stocks, or any other major possession as collateral if the bank requires security in the event you can not pay back the loan.

· Experience. The relevant experience of the business owner is an important factor for the loan package. Banks feel more confident in giving out a loan to business owners who have relevant experience in the business that they are starting, such as a dentist opening a private practice.

· Owner's Investment. If you are forming a new business, be prepared to invest a certain portion of the start-up costs personally. Lenders rarely finance 100% of the business. They will expect you to raise 20 to 40% of the investment yourself. The higher your personal investment in the business, the better the loan application looks to the lender.

· Good Business Concept or Plan. A good business concept that is believable and relatively conservative. Lenders are conservative organizations that do not like to take large risks.

· Capacity to Manage and Pay. The business should be able to generate enough cash to pay …